Section D
DESIGN CONCEPT GENERATION, ANALYSIS, AND SELECTION
To build an effective prototype that solves our design problem and meets all of our criteria, the team has decided to brainstorm all potential components. Some components are concepts intended to solve to different aspects of our design problem or help a potential prototype meet certain criteria while others determine how other components will be combined and the final prototype is constructed. Each component uses a decision matrix to decide which potential solution is best.
IV.1 Component Matrices
Vest Type
The first aspect of designing a bullet resistant vest is to determine which type of vest it will be. There are four types of body armor: hard, soft, liquid, and composite. Hard body armor describes body armor that contains hard, ballistic plates intended to stop high velocity rounds, such as from rifles. Hard body armor is typically used in the military, where the need for protection from high velocity projectiles justifies the added weight of ballistic plates. Soft vests are made of layers of ballistic fabric, do not contain any plates, and typically only stop projectiles from handguns. These vests are typically used by law enforcement officers and private citizens, where protection from rifle fire is not necessary and it is reasonable to sacrifice that added protection in exchange for a much lighter vest. Liquid body armor is a form of protection utilizing the properties of shear-thickening fluids, which act like solids when a force is applied to them. Currently, the technology to create fully liquid vests that effectively stop bullets of any caliber or velocity does not exist. Composite vests are a combination of soft vests and liquid vests. Composite vests also use the properties of shear-thickening fluids, but compensate for the fluid's inability to completely stop a bullet with traditional ballistic fabrics. The ballistic fabric is what stops the bullet, but by using a shear-thickening fluid, the force of the impact can be spread across a wider area of fabric and the vest can stop bullets more effectively. These vests have the potential of being lighter than both liquid and soft vests because the increased effectiveness of the vest allows less material to be used. We considered this aspect of our design first because it is the broadest aspect, and we considered all four types of vest.
Defense of Vest Type Chosen
Flexibility: On a scale 0-5, where 0 describes a rigid vest that is entirely inflexible and 5 describes a vest that is extremely flexible, comparable to a t-shirt.
Weight: On a scale 1-4, where 4 indicates the predicted weight is <5 lbs, 3 indicates the predicted weight is >5 lbs but <10 lbs, 2 indicates the predicted weight is between 10 and 20 lbs, and 1 indicates the predicted weight exceeds 20 lbs.
Bullet Resistance: On a scale 1-4, where the number corresponds to the NIJ standards for categorizing a vest. For example, a 2 indicates the vest is rated as a type II body armor.
Technology Exists: On a scale 0-1, where 0 means the technology needed to make the vest does not exist and 1 means the technology does exist and/or vests of that type already exist.
Temperature Range: On a scale: 1-2, where 1 indicates the vest is made of components that can freeze, and 2 indicates it can work in all temperatures.
IV.1 Component Matrices
Vest Type
The first aspect of designing a bullet resistant vest is to determine which type of vest it will be. There are four types of body armor: hard, soft, liquid, and composite. Hard body armor describes body armor that contains hard, ballistic plates intended to stop high velocity rounds, such as from rifles. Hard body armor is typically used in the military, where the need for protection from high velocity projectiles justifies the added weight of ballistic plates. Soft vests are made of layers of ballistic fabric, do not contain any plates, and typically only stop projectiles from handguns. These vests are typically used by law enforcement officers and private citizens, where protection from rifle fire is not necessary and it is reasonable to sacrifice that added protection in exchange for a much lighter vest. Liquid body armor is a form of protection utilizing the properties of shear-thickening fluids, which act like solids when a force is applied to them. Currently, the technology to create fully liquid vests that effectively stop bullets of any caliber or velocity does not exist. Composite vests are a combination of soft vests and liquid vests. Composite vests also use the properties of shear-thickening fluids, but compensate for the fluid's inability to completely stop a bullet with traditional ballistic fabrics. The ballistic fabric is what stops the bullet, but by using a shear-thickening fluid, the force of the impact can be spread across a wider area of fabric and the vest can stop bullets more effectively. These vests have the potential of being lighter than both liquid and soft vests because the increased effectiveness of the vest allows less material to be used. We considered this aspect of our design first because it is the broadest aspect, and we considered all four types of vest.
Defense of Vest Type Chosen
Flexibility: On a scale 0-5, where 0 describes a rigid vest that is entirely inflexible and 5 describes a vest that is extremely flexible, comparable to a t-shirt.
Weight: On a scale 1-4, where 4 indicates the predicted weight is <5 lbs, 3 indicates the predicted weight is >5 lbs but <10 lbs, 2 indicates the predicted weight is between 10 and 20 lbs, and 1 indicates the predicted weight exceeds 20 lbs.
Bullet Resistance: On a scale 1-4, where the number corresponds to the NIJ standards for categorizing a vest. For example, a 2 indicates the vest is rated as a type II body armor.
Technology Exists: On a scale 0-1, where 0 means the technology needed to make the vest does not exist and 1 means the technology does exist and/or vests of that type already exist.
Temperature Range: On a scale: 1-2, where 1 indicates the vest is made of components that can freeze, and 2 indicates it can work in all temperatures.
- Liquid body armor was rated the most flexible, because it uses only liquid components. This was followed by composite and fabric armor as the fabric in both is fairly flexible, as was seen in personal interviews with officers about the flexibility of their armor. Solid plates are the least flexible, as they are solid ceramic plates meant to stop powerful shots (http://www.platecarrierzone.com/soft-armor-vs-hard-armor-plates/ and http://www.baesystems.com/en-sa/download-en-sa/20151124114408/1434555483614.pdf).
- Composite body armor was given the highest score in Weight because it combines qualities of liquid body armor and solid body armor in order to make it the lightest solution possible.
- Hard body armor was given the highest rating in bullet resistance as hey are traditionally used to stop high velocity rounds from rifles whereas soft armor is used to stop smaller arms fire. All values were determined using information from ballistic panel manufacturer's websites such as BAE Systems and The Safariland Group.
- Hard and soft body armors have the greatest temperature resistance as they have no capacity to melt or freeze within normal conditions whereas body armors that use a liquid.
- Given these values we determined that Composite body armor is the most effective type based off of our criteria.
Ballistic Fabrics
After the team determined a composite vest was the best solution for vest type, we had to consider what the vest would be made of. We considered several materials that had potential to stop bullets, as well as materials that are currently used in ballistic vests and rated them according to criteria that represented the team's building constraints as well as some criteria listed in Section C.
Defense of Material Chosen
Cost: On a scale 0-5, where 0 indicates the material cannot be attained, 1 means it will cost >$100 per sq. ft., 2 means it will cost between $75 and $100 per sq.ft, 3 means it will cost between $50 and $75 per sq.ft., and 4 means it will cost between $25 and $50 per sq. ft., and 5 means the material will cost <$25 per sq. ft.
Ease of Acquiring: On a scale: 0-2, where 0 means the materials can not be acquired, 1 means the team would have to construct the materials, and 2 means the team can purchase the materials.
Bullet Resistance: On a Scale: 0-2, where 0 indicates the material is not used in body armor, 1 indicates that the material is currently being researched for use in body armor, and 2 indicates the material is already used in body armor.
Flexibility: On a Scale: 0-3, where 0 describes a rigid material that is entirely inflexible, 1 indicates a rigid material that is somewhat flexible, 2 indicates a flexible material like thick fabric, and 3 indicates a highly flexible material like a sheet of paper.
No Added Dangers: On a Scale: 0-2, where 0 means the material is dangerous to the user, 1 means the material could be dangerous if broken, 2 indicates the material is not dangerous to the wearer even if broken.
Temperature Range: On a Scale: 1-3, where 1 indicates the material can withstand below-freezing temperatures, 2 indicating it can work at above-freezing temperatures, and 3 indicating it can work in all ranges of temperatures likely to be experienced by users
- Cost was a primary consideration because many of the materials used for the fabric of vests can be expensive. Values for this category were determined by prices found for each fabric after a brief search online. It is important to consider cost because a final vest that is too expensive will not be available to as many potential users and therefore not be able to protect them at all.
- To determine bullet resistance without the ability to test the materials beforehand, the team reasoned that if the material is used in current body armors then it must be bullet resistant and if it is being researched for use, the materials has potential to be bullet resistant. Materials and their values were based on scholarly articles such as https://arxiv.org/pdf/1207.1022.pdf.
- To determine flexibility, we looked at the type of material it was (e.g. if the material is a fabric or a ceramic) and by how thick the material is naturally, so a thinner material would be more flexible over a thick material. http://www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/discover/video-gallery/what-is-graphene/how-flexible-is-graphene/
- To determine if there would be any dangers presented by the materials, the team researched and examined several documents and fact sheets released by health organizations (https://www.dli.mn.gov/OSHA/PDF/fiberglass.pdf and http://www.nisenet.org/sites/default/files/FF-200MSDS.pdf).
- Based off the criteria, Kevlar was deemed the best solution.
Shear Thickening Fluids
After considering which fabric would be the best material to make the ballistic panels from, the team had to next consider what to make the ballistic fluid from. We considered several different designs, ranging from ordinary water, to a classroom science experiment of a shear-thickening fluid, to more advanced fluids that were discovered after researching "liquid body armor". We graded these against several criteria listed in Section C as well as new criteria that the team deemed important such as "Toxicity" and "Durability" because these criteria pertained to the potential health affects of the user when in contact with the materials and the longevity of the materials.
Defense of Material Chosen
Cost: On a scale 1-4, where 4 means the team can acquire the materials for free, 3 indicates the materials will cost <$10, 2 indicates the materials will cost <20$ but >$10, and 1 indicates the materials will cost >$20.
Bullet Resistance: On a scale 0-2, where 0 indicates the material is not used in body armor, 1 indicates that the material is being researched for use in body armor, and 2 indicates the material is already used in body armor.
Density: On a scale 0-2, where 2 indicates the fluid has a density greater than water, 1 indicates the fluid has a density similar to water, and 0 indicates the fluid has a density less than water; because a higher density makes a shear-thickening fluid more resistant to high-velocity projectiles.
Ease of Acquiring: On a scale 0-2, where 0 means the materials can not be acquired, 1 means the team would have to construct the material, and 2 means the team can purchase the material.
Temperature Range: On a scale 1-3, where 1 indicates the material can freeze, 2 indicating it won't freeze, and 3 indicating it can work in all ranges of temperatures likely to be experienced in North America.
Durability: On a scale 0-2, where 0 indicates the fluid can dry and become solid, 1 indicates the fluid can decay such as an organic matter, 2 indicates the particulates in the fluid could settle out over time thus rendering it ineffective, and 3 indicates the solution is stable over long periods of time.
Toxicity: On a scale 0-3, where 0 indicates the solution contains compounds that are hazardous upon contact, 1 indicates the presence of compounds that are harmful if they enter the body, 2 indicates compounds that will not cause major adverse health effects, and 3 indicates the solution is completely harmless.
- The team examined the component costs of each of the materials and rated them according to how expensive it would be to buy the materials to make the shear-thickening fluid as opposed to determining how expensive it would be to buy the fluid itself.
- The team researched whether any of the materials were already used or had potential for being used in ballistic armor. If the material can not be relied on to stop a bullet, no user would rely on the vest to protect himself/herself from a bullet.
- As opposed to weight, the team chose density because the materials in question are liquids, and each material was given a score based off of its relative density compared to water with respect to what the materials were made off (for instance ferrofluid contains iron particles, which makes it denser than water)
- When examining the materials, it was mentioned that some materials may not last for very long, for instance because “Oobleck” contains organic matter, it could potentially rot. The team therefore took this quality into account because a vest using a material that does not last very long would not be very useful and a department, military, or other purchaser of ballistic vests would constantly have to replace the vests.
- The team wanted to make sure that a material used in a potential vest would not be harmful to the wearer. Values were assigned based off of research and analysis of several documents from health organizations and departments.
- A Silica Solution was rated the highest according to the given criteria and is therefore the best solution.
Padding
After considering the preliminary aspects of the vest, the team decided to brainstorm components that would help solve the different criteria listed in Section C. First we decided to focus on providing more protection from vest deformation by adding cushioning or padding to the interior side of the vest. For this the group considered a few different materials that are traditionally used for padding, especially packaging used for fragile items, such as Styrofoam, open cell foam, and air. We also considered other potentially viable solutions such as water and fabric.
Defense of Material Chosen
Weight: On a scale 1-3, where 1 means the material will weigh >2 lbs, 2 means the material will weigh <2 lbs but > 1 lb, 3 means the material will weigh <1 lb.
Flexibility: On a scale 0-2, where 0 means the material is rigid, 1 indicates the materials is somewhat flexible, and 2 indicates the material is very flexible.
Temperature Range: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the material can freeze and 2 means it will withstand in all ranges of temperatures likely to be experienced in North America.
Durability: On a scale 0-2, where 0 means the material can not be damaged and still function, 1 means the materials can be slightly damaged and still function, and 2 means the material can be heavily damaged and still function.
Arrangement of Padding
After deciding which material would be best to use for padding we had to decide which was the best way to arrange the padding. At first the team wanted to just cover the entire inside of the vest with foam but then we determined there might be a better way to arrange the foam. We examined several different patterns and graded them against relevant criteria like how spacing between the padding could affect ventilation and how more padding or a particular orientation of sections of padding could affect flexibility in certain directions.
Defense of Padding Arrangement
Ventilation: On a scale 0-3, where 0 means the solution provides no method for ventilation, 1 indicates the solution allows air to pass between the vest and the user, 2 partially provides a channel for hot air to escape the vest, and 3 means the solution allows for hot air to escape the vest and air to pass between the vest and the user.
Weight: On a scale 1-4, where 4 means the material weighs nothing and 1 indicates it weighs more than other solutions, with 2 being an median weight of all the solutions.
Flexibility: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the solution interferes with bending over, and 2 means the solution does not affect difficulty to bend over or the solution does not interfere with bending over.
After deciding which material would be best to use for padding we had to decide which was the best way to arrange the padding. At first the team wanted to just cover the entire inside of the vest with foam but then we determined there might be a better way to arrange the foam. We examined several different patterns and graded them against relevant criteria like how spacing between the padding could affect ventilation and how more padding or a particular orientation of sections of padding could affect flexibility in certain directions.
Defense of Padding Arrangement
Ventilation: On a scale 0-3, where 0 means the solution provides no method for ventilation, 1 indicates the solution allows air to pass between the vest and the user, 2 partially provides a channel for hot air to escape the vest, and 3 means the solution allows for hot air to escape the vest and air to pass between the vest and the user.
Weight: On a scale 1-4, where 4 means the material weighs nothing and 1 indicates it weighs more than other solutions, with 2 being an median weight of all the solutions.
Flexibility: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the solution interferes with bending over, and 2 means the solution does not affect difficulty to bend over or the solution does not interfere with bending over.
- Different orientations of padding strips could affect how well air is ventilated. Because warm air rises, it was reasonable to rate vertical strips as allowing more ventilation than horizontal strips. It is important to choose a solution that maximizes ventilation to help reduce the risk of the user overheating as much as possible.
- Layout of padding strips could affect how easy it is for a user to bend, too. For this criteria, the team rated the options on how much they interfered with bending forward.
- Vertical strips of foam were considered to be the best layout of padding, with other orientations and layout of foam strips also being potentially viable.
Thickness of Padding
The team decided to consider thickness of padding because thickness could affect several aspects of the vest such as how bulky it is to how flexible it is to how well it can provide ventilation. The team came up with several thicknesses that were reasonable for padding a vest and compared them to these criteria.
Defense of Padding Thickness
Additional Spacing: On a scale 0-4, where 0 describes no additional spacing between the back face of the vest and the wearer, and 4 indicates more spacing than other solutions.
Flexibility: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the solution interferes with bending over, and 2 means the solution does not affect difficulty to bend over or the solution does not interfere with bending over.
Bulkiness: On a scale 1-5, where 1 indicates the material is bulkier than other solutions, and 5 means the solution is not at all bulky, with 3 being a median between all other solutions.
Ventilation: On a scale 0-4, where 0 describes no additional ventilation, and 4 describes more ventilation than other solutions.
- The team considered how much additional spacing from backface deformation of a vest when it is shot that the thickness of foam could protect from. This was one of the criteria listed in Section C, so it was important to consider this when evaluating the different thicknesses. The measurement of ¼ inch that was used as a baseline was taken from NIJ standard 0101.06. The backface deformation of a vest may not exceed ¼ inch or else a user could be seriously injured. Foam that exceeds this thickness can protect a user from this deformation entirely.
- Thicker materials are more difficult to bend so it is important to limit the thickness of the foam strips so a vest does not hinder mobility of a user.
- Thicker strips also make a vest thicker, and a bulky vest could interfere with motion and range of movement of a user. Not hindering mobility was the first criteria listed in Section C and the most important so the team took this into consideration.
- Ventilation was another criteria listed in section C so it was important to evaluate if the thicknesses of padding would allow ventilation, even if it is compressed, because a vest can bend or be compressed while a user is wearing it.
- Based off the decision matrix, ¼ inch thick padding was the best choice for padding with a noticeable fall off of in viability as the thicknesses became greater or smaller.
Extent of Coverage
Another major aspect our team had to consider was how much of the body the vest will actually cover. One of our criteria is to protect all vital organs in the torso, but more coverage means more safety for a user. However the team must balance additional safety due to more coverage with other considerations such as weight, bulkiness, and other potential issues that can arise from the size of the vest.
Defense of Solution Coverage
Protected Area: On a scale 1-6, On a relative spectrum, 1 means the solution covers the least total area and 6 means the solution covers the most total area.
Weight: On a scale 1-4, where 4 indicates the predicted weight is <5 lbs, 3 indicates the vest is >5 but <10lbs. 2 indicates the vest weighs between 10 and 20 lbs, and 1 indicates the weight of the vest exceeds 20 lbs.
Potential to Pinch: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the solution has parts that can be very close to joints and are therefore likely to pinch, and 2 indicates the solution is not likely to pinch.
Potential to Slide: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the solution is likely to slide, 2 indicates the solution is not likely to slide.
Bulkiness: On a scale 1-3, where 1 indicates the solution will have material around the joints that could limit range of motion, 2 indicates the solution does not have material around the joints, and 3 indicates the solution provides extra gaps around the sides that could restrict the range of motion less than a standard vest.
- The extent of coverage of a potential vest was given as a criteria because as a ballistic vest, the final product should protect the user as much as possible.
- To keep a final solution as light as possible, it is important to examine the trade-off between coverage and weight.
- After interviewing two police officers, pinching was determined to be a problem with some larger vests so the team considered this criteria when determining how big a final vest should be.
- Additionally, the team determined in the interview that smaller vests tend to slide around and not protect the correct areas. It was important to consider this possibility when choosing a correct vest.
- The amount of material around the joints could hinder movement and range of motion, so it is important to take this into consideration when evaluating the solutions.
- Based off of the criteria, a full vest that provides full protection of the front, back, and sides of the torso is the best choice, with a full vest without side protection was a close second because even though it did not protect as much of the user, it could allow for a greater range of movement and maneuverability.
Sliding and Pinching
After interviewing two officers and learning that both sliding and pinching of vests is both and issue and an annoyance, the team decided to brainstorm a few potential solutions to fix the problem. The proposed solutions included: a harness that required attaching part of the vest to something fixed, so as the belt loops of pants, a skirt-like feature made of a thin fabric that would work not unlike stay-tucked shirts, an elastic layer of the vest that would hug the user tightly to prevent the vest from sliding, simply making the vest tight when the user is wearing it, and providing a soft foam around the joints that would help hold the vest in place as well as preventing the thicker parts of the vest from pinching.
Defense of Sliding and Pinching Solutions
Ease of Equipping: On a scale 0-1, where 0 indicates that there are additional steps required to equip the vest versus a standard design, and 1 indicates it is as easy to equip as a standard vest.
Weight: On a scale 0-1, where 1 indicates the solution will not add more than 1 additional pound of weight to the vest, while 0 indicates the solution will weigh more than 1 pound.
Construction Ease: On a scale 0-2, where 0 indicates that the solution can be neither bought nor made, 1 indicates the solution can be made, and 2 indicates the solution can be bought by the team.
Constrictiveness: On a scale 0-1, where 0 indicates the solution relies on constricting to the wearer to prevent the vest from sliding up while 1 indicates the solution uses other methods.
Stops Sliding: On a scale 0-1, where 0 indicates the solution provides no method for preventing sliding, and 1 indicates the solution can prevent sliding.
Stops Pinching: On a scale 0-1, where 0 indicates the solution provides no method for preventing pinching, and 1 indicates the solution can prevent pinching.
- Some solutions would be time-consuming to put on, and because the focus of this design project is comfort, the team took this potential problem into consideration to prevent a final solution from being annoying to use.
- The team also considered if the solution would add any significant weight, as the team wants to make the final vest as light as possible.
- The team also examined how easy or difficult it would be to construct a solution because it is imperative the team must be able to construct the entire prototype in a timely manner.
- Given the criteria, foam around the joints was evaluated to be the most viable solution for preventing the vest from sliding and pinching.
Numbers of Pieces in Assembly
Next the team considered the criteria that the vest will not consist of more than three parts so its parts can't get tangled and so equipping, wearing, and taking off the vest won't be difficult or time consuming. The main components of any bullet proof vest are the plate carrier, and the plates. We considered adding a harness, and also considered combining the plates and the plate carrier and compared those potential solutions to several criteria relevant to constructing the vest and using the vest such as cost to replace, difficulty to construct, difficulty to equip (based off number of parts of the vest to put on), and weight.
Defense of Numbers of Pieces in Assembly
Ease of Equipping: On a scale 1-2, 2 indicates that only the vest has to be equipped, while 1 indicates additional equipment must be put on before equipping the vest.
Weight: On a scale 0-1, where 1 means the vest would weight about the same as an average type II vest used by police officers, while 0 indicates the solution would be heavier.
Reusability: On a scale 1-2, where 1 means the entire vest must be replaced when it is shot, and 2 means that only the ballistic plates have to be replaced when shot.
Construction Ease: On a scale 0-2, where 0 means the team is not capable of constructing the solution, 1 indicates the team would have to construct a vest and additional equipment, and 2 indicates the team would only have to construct a vest.
- To prevent a vest from being difficult or time consuming to equip, the team evaluated the difficulty or equipping the given vest solutions. It stands to reason that the more separate components of a vest there are to equip, the more time consuming and annoying it is to put on.
- Weight was also considered, as any additional components that are not part of traditional vests could make the final design heavier than a competitor’s vest.
- Reusability of a vest was determined by how much of the vest is replaced when shot. For a traditional vest, only the ballistic plates or panels are replaced, with the carrier being able to be reused as many times as possible before it can no longer hold plates or panels. It was important to consider this because if our entire final solution must be replaced, it will be costly to a distributor or user and discourage the purchase of our product.
- Ease of construction was also considered because it is imperative the team is able to construct a final prototype in a timely manner.
- Based off these criteria, it was determined that the best method for assembly of a vest is with a two-piece design, similar to standard, traditional vests.
Fasteners
Finally, the team had to consider how to make sure the vest would stay on the user. Various fasteners all have unique uses for which they are optimal for. The team examined several different fasteners and compared them with relevant criteria.
Defense of Fasteners
Ease of Use: On a scale 0-1, 1 indicating the solution can be fastened in a single motion, while 0 indicates it cannot.
Strength: On a scale 0-2, 0 indicating a fastener that can come undone through normal motion, and 2 describing a fastener that should only come undone through specific action
Durability: On a scale 1-3, where 1 indicates the fastener is traditionally made of a cheap materials such as plastic, and 3 indicates the fastener is traditionally made of a durable material such as metal.
Adjustability: On a scale 1-3, 1 indicates the fastener can not be adjusted, 2 indicates the fastener is difficult to adjust or otherwise not commonly used for that purpose, and 3 indicates the fastener is easily adjustable and used in situations where adjustability is necessary.
Flexibility: On a scale 0-2, 0 indicating no parts of the fastener are flexible, 1 indicates some components of the fastener/system are flexible, and 2 indicates all parts of the fastening system are flexible.
- To prevent the vest from being difficult or time consuming to equip, the fastening process was evaluated for each solution to determine the ease of the process. The harder the process, the more annoying the fastener is to utilize.
- Strength was important as the vest should not come apart when being used. The fasteners will hold the vest together, so it is vital that they have a high enough strength.
- Durability is a similar topic as in strength, but is still important. The fasteners should last for a long time, as they are a core part of the vest. If they need to be replaced often, the solution will not be viable for users.
- The fasteners should be adjustable to fit many body types and can be adjusted within various situations, which can allow the vest to be intercompatible with different people.
- Fasteners shouldn’t restrain a user, as this could be dangerous for the user. Flexibility is key for the solution, even within individual systems.
- Based off of these criteria, Velcro fasteners were determined to be the most viable solution for holding the vest together.
IV.2 Solution Drawings
IV.3 Citations and Sources
http://www.platecarrierzone.com/soft-armor-vs-hard-armor-plates/
http://www.platecarrierzone.com/plate-materials/
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/making-armoured-t-shirts/3002380.article
https://www.walmart.com/ip/FiFlexMesh-EIFS-Fiberglass-Mesh-38-x150-White-Exterior-4.5oz/112512323?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227059337752&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=163164751652&wl4=pla-269516403826&wl5=9013145&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=112512323&wl13=&veh=sem
http://www.fibreglast.com/product/160/Kevlar?gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQNq5fNztRQS4OslBt3j9K6jGLEaOvQE--t9vklzVQVMaAtXA8P8HAQ
http://www.fibreglast.com/product/100/PrePreg_Fabrics?gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQEud9MDNXRNDH6-MunDvii0UKfvekA1ekYMJTi-7XeYaAgZ88P8HAQ
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2010/March/16031001.asp
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/fiberglass.htm
http://www.platecarrierzone.com/soft-armor-vs-hard-armor-plates/
http://www.platecarrierzone.com/plate-materials/
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/making-armoured-t-shirts/3002380.article
https://www.walmart.com/ip/FiFlexMesh-EIFS-Fiberglass-Mesh-38-x150-White-Exterior-4.5oz/112512323?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227059337752&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=163164751652&wl4=pla-269516403826&wl5=9013145&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=112512323&wl13=&veh=sem
http://www.fibreglast.com/product/160/Kevlar?gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQNq5fNztRQS4OslBt3j9K6jGLEaOvQE--t9vklzVQVMaAtXA8P8HAQ
http://www.fibreglast.com/product/100/PrePreg_Fabrics?gclid=Cj0KEQiA5bvEBRCM6vypnc7QgMkBEiQAUZftQEud9MDNXRNDH6-MunDvii0UKfvekA1ekYMJTi-7XeYaAgZ88P8HAQ
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/News/2010/March/16031001.asp
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/fiberglass.htm